Tile cutting and breaking apparatus



Feb.-3, 1942. A E. DRWER v2,272,160

TILE CUTTING AND BREAKING APPARATUSA Filed May 13, 1940 2 Sheets-Sheet 1Fell 3, 1942- E. l.. DRIVER 2,272,150

TILE CUTTING AND BREAKING APPARATUS ATTbRNEY f [UNITED STAT PatentedFeb. 3, 1942 Esi PATENT f OFFICE TILEI CUTTING AND BREAKING APPARATUSEber I lfDryer, Kansas City, Mo. j, j Application May is, 1940seri'a1No.334,919`

This invention relates toI an apparatus for-cutv ting and breakingwork'piec'es such as ti1e,`glass,V and like. objects of brittlecharacter, andk has trated in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

paratus.

Fig. l is a perspective view of a tile cutting and breaking apparatusconstructed in accordance with'the present invention. f

Fig, 2 is a fragmentary plan view of the ap- Fig. 3 is a verticalcross-section on the line 3-3'of Fig. 1, showing the `cutter in positionfor making a cut across thev surface.v of a'tile.

Fig. 4 is a similar view showing they cutter as itis passed acrossthetile and the breaking mechanism moved into position to break the tileon the line of cut.

Fig. `5 isa'cross-section on` the line 5-5 of Fig. 6 is'. an enlargeddetail perspective View of the upper' pressing or breaking member.

Referringmorein. detail to the drawings:

. I designates a cutting and breaking -apparatus constructed vinaccordancel with the present invention, and which includes a table-likebase 2 preferably of rectangular shape and having a plate-like uppersurfaceB'lfor supporting vwork pieces, s uch as tile, in position to beacted upon by a cutting and breaking mechanism. The table 2 includesrelatively short legs 4v at the corners thereof which are preferablyformed as eX- tensions of depending flanges 5. Mounted at one side ofthe table in a corner 6 thereof isa standard-like bracket I cooperatingwith a similar bracket 8A located on a lateral extension 9 at theadjacent corner Ill to support a guide Il. The brackets 'I and 8 includebase plates I2 that are secured to thetable 'top by fastening devicesI3. Extending upwardly from the plates are standards I4 havingvertically slotted heads I5 arranged transversely of thel guide. Theouter faces I6 of the brackets are formed on vertical mount guide'he'adsI8. Tl'ieg'uide heads I8 include plate portions I9 conforming in shapeto the ways and 'have bosses 20 and 2| at the ends which areprovidedwith horizontally arranged bores 22l and 23 to receive theendsfof guide rods 24and25.ffff` f" `Theplate portions `.Iii havecentral bosses 26 carrying threaded studs 21 projecting through y theslotted llieads I5 whereby vthe heads are clamped Aagainst thestandardsfupon l.tightening of' wing-nutsZcarried on the threaded endsof the studs, as clearly k'shownin Figs. 1l and 2. It is obvious thatbyA loosening the wing-nuts 28 the guide rods maybe adjusted`relatively'to the planes vto provide vertical ways I'I to adjustably 55table 2 and'retained vinr adjusted position upon retightening of thenuts so as to position the cutter 'and'upper breaker in accordance withthe thickness of the work piece aslater described.

Slidably mounted on the`rods24and l25 is a carriage 29 includingl asubstantially` A-shaped frame .30V provided with a sleeve 3|"atthe apexhaving abore of'sufcient diameter to slidably en'sag'e tnevrodzs; framecarry similar sleevesv 32. and 33 having similar bores `to` `slidably.engage thelower rod 24,

whereby the frame is freely slidable .on the guide rods responsive tovactuation of'a lever 34. The y lever 34,l isipivoted, asA at 35,"to 'anarm-like extension'BBof the/bracket 8` and has a depending endV3'I"'con'nectedby a link 38 with a lugv 39 extending laterally 'fromlink 38 beingconnected with the -end 31 -of the lever 'Jby'apivotconnectionk VIll and with the lug 39 by a lpivot connection 4I,

end of 'the'link asbest shown in Fig. 2.

Projecting from the inner side of the frame,

adjacent the sleeve 32, isf'a lug43 having an up-` a horizontallyextehdinggarm 46' having a free I end'4'l' guidingly retained'in a slot48 projecting in a laterally extending-wing 49 adjacentgthe sleeve 33,and carries'acutter supporting seat 5|). The other arm'5l ofthe'bell-crank extends upwardly and laterally toward the frame to carryan adjustingscrew 52 in aligningregistry with a stop boss 53 on' theframe of the carriage. Thev bell-crank just described is pivotallymounted within the slot of the lug 43 on a pivot screw 54`. V f

The cutter 55is a conventional glass cutter, having a at head 55engaging in the seat 50 and carrying a cutting wheel 51.. The cutter isretained in position in the seat by studs 58 and 59 f The lowerterminals of the vthe 'carria'gerframa the The lug 39 is.preferably'slotted, as at 42, to accommodate the extending laterallyfrom the face of the seat and engaging in the notches 60 of the cutterhead. One of the studs, for example the stud 59, is threaded to mount awing-nut 6| whereby the cutter head is clamped in the seat of thebellcrank. In order to exert a yielding pressure on the cutter wherebythe cutter wheel may travel over irregular surfaces of the tile, the arm46 is pivotally connected, as at 82, with a yoke 63 carried on the endof a stem 64. The stem 64 has its upper end slidably mounted in a guidelug 65 projecting laterally from the sleeve 3|. The lower portion of thestem is preferably threaded to accommodate an adjusting nut 66. Sleevedover the stem and having one end engaging the nut 66 and the other thelug 65 is a compression spring 81. It is thus obvious that while ayielding pressure is exerted on the cutter, the extent of movement ofthe bell-crank in a downward direction responsive to movement of thespring is regulated by manipulation of the adjusting nut 52.

Fixed on the table and extending at right angles relatively to the guiderods is a stop or abutment rail 69, having a scale 69 thereon wherebythe size of the tile to be cut is measured. The zero end of the scalealigns with the cutting wheel 51 and has a notch 10 therein to receivethe cutter when the cutter passes off the edge of the tile, as laterdescribed.

Also mounted on the guide rods 24 and 25 is an upper breaker member 1|,including a vertically arranged leg 12 carrying sleeves 13 and 14 havingbores and 18 of suitable size to slidably mount the breaker member onthe guide rods in abutting relation with the sleeves 3| and 33previously described, the abutting ends being of sufficient length tospace the leg of the breaker member a desired distance from the carriageto provide freedom of movement for the cutter.

Formed on the lower end of the leg is a foot 11, having an arch-shapedlower face 'I8 with the apex' 19 thereof located in registry with thecutting wheel 51. From the apex 19 the sides diverge downwardly andoutwardly as indicated at 80 and 8|, Fig. 6, to terminate in tilepressing portions 82 and 83 which also extend parallel with the line ofcut. Extending laterally from the foot of the breaker member, preferablyin the plane of the face portion 80, is a lug 84 having interlockingengagement with a lug 85 carried on an angle-shaped bracket 86, thebracket 86 being secured to the table by fastening devices 8l' adjacentthe end of the abutment rail 68 so that after the carriage has reachedthe end of its movement upon effecting cut of a tile, the lug 85cooperates with the rods 24 and 25 to prevent upward movement of thebreaker member when pressure is applied thereagainst by a lower breakermember 88.

The lower breaker member 88 includes a tongue 89 movable through anopening 90 provided in the table top in registry with the travel of thecutter wheel. The tongue 89 is carried on a plate 9| movable betweenangle-shaped brackets 92 and 93 depending from the under side of theframe and guidably supported on guides 94 and 95. The guides 94 and 95comprise cap-screws having their shanks passing through openings 98 inthe plate and threaded into the table top. Mounted on the Shanks of thescrews and having one end bearing against the plate and the other endagainst the table top are coil springs 91. and 98 to return the breakertongue to retracted position. Rotatably mounted |02 at the outer endthereof.

In order to accommodate tile having moldinglike projections at the upperedge, the surface of the table is provided with grooves or recesses |03and |04. When cutting this form of tile, the tile is turned face up, sothat the nose thereof enters one or the other of the grooves dependingupon the size of the tile and the cut is made across the face thereof.

As it is impossible to break the corners of tiles, the table is providedwith a clamping device, including a clamping bar |05 attached to oneside of the table, preferably the side adjacent the bracket 1 andcooperating therewith is a movable clamping bar |06 having its endsguidingly supported for movement to and from the bar |05 on studs |01and |08. The studs carry coil springs |09 and I0 having their lower endsbearing against the table and their upper ends against the bar |06 tonormally retain the bar in retracted position. The bar |06 is moved inclamping relation with the tile supported on the bar |05 by wing-nutsand ||2 located on the projecting ends of the studs.

In using an apparatus constructed and assembled as described, a tile,indicated by the dotted lines designated a, is applied on the table withthe end thereof abutting against the rail 68. The tile is then shiftedlaterally therealong .so that the line of the cut registers with thezero point of the scale. When the tileV is applied to the table, thecarriage is, of course, in retracted position. The heads carrying theguide rods are then adjusted vertically so that the cutter moves overthe upper surface of the tile with a slight space between the tile andthe portions 82 and 83 of the foot of the breaker member. Afteradjustment, the wing-nuts are tightened to retain the guides in adjustedposition. 'I'he adjusting screw 52 is then manipulated to provide propertension on the cutter. The lever 34 is then manipulated to effectmovement of the carriage across the tile so that the cutter wheel formsa cut in the f'surface thereof along the line that the tile is to bebroken. The handle is moved to the point where the cutter wheel travelsolf the edge of the tile engaging the abutment rail. In this position,the lug 84 has engaged under the lug 85 and the cutter 51 is positionedwithin or over the notch 10. 'I'he tile is then ready for breaking. Inthis position of the carriage, the upper breaker member is in positiondirectly over the lower breaker member. The lever |0| is then actuatedto rock the shaft 99 and cause the cam |00 thereon to project the lugagainst the under surface of the tile and raise the tile against thearch-shaped foot as shown in Fig. 5. Since the portions 82 and 83 of thefoot rst contact the tile, the pressure applied to the tile through thetongue at the point of cut effects breaking of the tile into separateparts as shown at band c, Fig. 5. It is thus obvious that the tile isreadily broken in the position at which the cut is formed so that thebreak occurs directly on the line of cut, thereby resulting in astraighter face on the broken side of the tile pieces. After breaking,the carriage is shifted to retracted position by reversing movement ofthe lever 34, after which the tile pieces 2,27a1eo are moved from thetable preparatory to similar operations on succeeding tiles.

If a corner is to be removed from a tile, a cut is made thereacross byholding the tile in the line of movement of the cutter.

The corner is then applied between the bars |05 and |06 and thewing-nuts tightened, after which pressure applied on the projectingportion of the tile'will eiect breaking thereof along the line of thecut.

From the foregoing it is obvious that I' have provided a cutting andbreaking apparatus which is particularly adapted for breaking workpieces of brittle character in a more facile and accurate 3 including.av table, brackets carried at opposite sides of the table, guidessupported by the bracket's, a work piece stop on the table, a carriageon said guides and movable,inthedirection of said stop, a bell-cranklever pivoted on the carriage, a cutter carried byone 'arm ofl thebell-crank lever, la spring on the vcarriage:engaging the arm to pressthe cutter into contact with a workpiece supported on the table andengaging said stop,

a work piece engaging member fixed to said carriage and having a footregistering with the cut.-

, ter, a workpiece pressingmember movably supy ported .by the table forcontacting the work piece manner with a minimum danger of flyingp-articles incidental to breaking the tile on the line of cut. It isalso obvious that since the breaking is made in the same position as thecut, the break is accurately produced, resulting in tile pieces on theside opposite the cutter, and means carried by the table for moving saidpressing member into contact with the work piece to press the work pieceagainst said foot to break the work piece along the cut effected byvsaid cutter.

havingsides substantially straight with the surfaces thereof.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. The combination witha cutting'mechanism including a work piecesupport, a cutter, and a support for the cutterl movable relative to theWork piece support to effect a cut across a work piece, of means forbreaking the work piece onA said cut including work piece pressing meanscarried by one of said supports and having work piece engaging portionson the respective sides of the cutter, work pressing means carried bythe other support and having a work engaging portion between said workengaging portions of the other pressing means, means on one of saidsupports for interlocking with the other when the cutter moves off thework piece being cut, `and means for moving one of said pressing meanstoward the other to break the work piece alongthe g cut.

2. In an apparatus of the character described,

a support member having a work piece' support? ing surface, a work piecepressing means projectable over the supporting surface, a cutter, meanssupporting the cutter fr movement over said pressing means, work piecepressing means carried by the cutter support and having work contactingportions oiset with respect to the first s named pressing means, meanson the work supporting member for interlocking engagement with thecutter supporting means when the'cutter has moved across the work piece,and means for projecting the first named pressing means'towardthepressing means carried by the Vcutter support to effect breakingofthe work piece carried on the work support.

3. An apparatus of the character described,

' the work piece along the cut effected by said` 4. An apparatus of thecharacter described, includinga table for supporting a work piece, aWork piece stop on the table, a carriage, means supporting the carriagefor movement over the work piece, a cutter on the carriage, a work pieceengaging member fixed to said carriage'and having a foot rportion.adaptedl to engage the work piece on opposite sides ofrk a cut in saidwork piece, a work piece pressing member movably supported by the tablefor contacting the work piece on the a carriage movable across the tablein the direction of said stop, a bell-crank lever pivoted on thecarriage, a cutter carried by one arm of the bell-crank lever, a springon the carriage engage-y ing the arm to press the cutter into contactvwith a work piece supported on the table in engage-A ment with saidstop, a work piece engaging member fixed to said carriage and having afoot portion on the side ofl the cutter opposite said stop,

a Work piece pressing member movably supported v by the table forengaging under the work piece, and means carried by the table for movingsaid pressing member into contact with the work piece to press the workpiece against said foot to break cutter.

EBER L. DRIVER.,

